Domestic policy reform in candidate countries is often assumed to be the result of EU-stemming pressure for change. Such pressure translates into desirable policy results once veto players are weakened and an appropriate coalition demands change.
Examining the case of Turkish social policy reform in the last decade, this paper argues that domestic policy change can be linked to the EU only in an indirect way and at the initial level of reform drive linked to aspirations for EU membership. That approach changed substantially over time and as Turkey-EU relations deteriorated. In reality, governing authorities have instrumentalized “Europe” as an intermediate stage towards seeking to advance their policy agenda, primarily on healthcare and pensions. This agenda, in turn resulted from the mixed push by IFIs and the ideological convictions of the government.
